The Indian women celebrities have arrived. These celebrities are women of substance and not of the page three variety. Their travails and achievements and their relationships with their mother, father, husband, family, extended family and colleagues are part of a book, ‘Secrets of the world’s inspirational women’ by Zerbanoo Gifford.

“This book is about women who have taken the world on and made things happen; women who have captivating beauty and strength of personality; women who embrace life in all its endless variety; women who have transformed their own lives and the lives of others by their hard work, courage and acts of compassion,” Gifford said on her visit to Bangalore recently.

The Indian women, from all walks of life, share space in the book with their counterparts
in other parts of the world. Over a span of two-and-a-half years, Gifford interviewed 300 women in 60 countries. The women share their strategies for tackling obstacles, the big ideas they have put into practice and the relationships which matter to them. Their secrets are revealed, from how to advance in the workplace, to how to maintain a loving relationship and leave a magnificent legacy for generations to come.

Industrialist Anu Aga expresses the danger of imbalance; “I am a great believer that success at work should not take a toll on family life. Then success is a failure.”  After the death of her husband, Anu Aga took over as chairperson of the Thermax Group. Not only was her husband’s death sudden but a year later, her son died in a car accident. She took time to learn the techniques of Vipassana meditation. “In spite of losing two very dear people, I learnt to embrace life and live fully”, she says.

Captain of Indian women’s cricket team, Mithali Raj, explains that her father played cricket for the Forces which allowed her to discover her own talent and ambition for sport. “I used to go with my elder brother to the cricket net at the Boys’ camp. I trained as a classical dancer and that really helped me with my footwork. Being the only girl in a boys team I got a lot of support and motivation and my hobby turned into my profession. My father was so proud of me when I became captain of the Indian women’s cricket team, even though women are still not given the top ranking, backing or recognition that men cricketers receive.” Bollywood actress Amisha Patel is almost as famous for having taken legal action against her parents as she is for her beauty and acting skills. She has been able to draw on the strength of the extended family when her immediate family failed her. She comes from a distinguished Indian family. Her decision to claim her income back from her parents through legal process has been seen by some as a very public betrayal, going against the idea of a close family that draws strength from its shared resources. Yet Amisha’s action helped to expose inequalities and exploitation. Fortunately, her paternal grandmother, Sheila Patel Gokhale has been a vital source of emotional strength.

Karen Anand is a one-woman business success story. She writes books, presents television programmes, has her own brand label, sets up top class restaurants, holds master classes in in culinary magic and yet manages to be a loving and devoted mother, wife and daughter.

For Karen, “Success does not smell sweet. It is just good to have money in the bank because of the freedom it gives, especially to travel. Also the confidence that you have achieved something, brought up children who are decent human beings and that you have friends who love and admire you, makes all the hard work worthwhile.”

Beyond beauty

Successful women go beyond the beauty myth. When asked what beauty was, the Rajmata of Jaipur, celebrated as one of the world’s most beautiful women, answered, “I have never thought about it.”
Bollywood heroine Madhuri Dixit does not think she is stunning but she did admit that it was an advantage to be attractive as it pleased others to be with you. 

War correspondent Barkha Dutt commented that, “often classically beautiful people are very busy being beautiful. They are not able to let go. What compels me and holds my attention is the kind of beauty that embraces life.”